I really want a chameleon but...

[Chameleon Loco]

Chameleons are a very shy animal and do not like being handled. Luckly I have 3 other reptiles that I can handle, also my veiled cham does not like to be handled so it is nearly impossible to handle him. I suggest a reptile tha is okay with being handled like a leopard gecko or a bearded dragon. I have kept reptiles for 5 years and I am still learning about new things about them

 

[Texas Panther Man]

You want something that likes to be held all the time & money is no object. Then get a parrot. They love to held. They are inteligent and very entertaining.

 

[Breeze]

You want something that likes to be held all the time & money is no object. Then get a parrot. They love to held. They are inteligent and very entertaining.

Parrots are expensive...

Anyway's, you should get a chameleon, you wont regret it. Even though youre not supposed to handle them, I do. I dont "play" with him though... I just sit down and kind of talk to him. Haha, Zap'z is small but he's anything but shy, he loves getting out of his cage. Chameleons are awesome and photogenic.

 

[boj3434]

You will love a chameleon and yes they are alot of work but its soooo worth it. In the case of handling I handle mine alot usually multiple times per day but that isnt because I get him out he just comes out to me. My cage is hanging on the wall above my bed and I open it up sometimes when it goes to the bottom and hell come out and walk up my back or hand. In general chameleons are very handlable but if you work at it and give them time by hand feeding and luring them onto your hand with a treat alot od the time they will be alot more sociable. Just dont force anything it all depends on you and your chameleon.

 

[Dustin2524]

Its seeming like Ill have better luck at getting a bearded dragon to be social than a chameleon. Thanks again guys, your helping a lot.

 

[kpritch17]

I would say that if you really want a chameleon, you should do your research on husbandry and get one. That being said, if you do end up getting a chameleon that doesn't tolerate being held as much as you want, you need to love and take care of it just the same as you would a chameleon that does. I wouldn't advise getting a chameleon from a pet store. They are mostly in bad shape and just not a good idea. The site sponsors are a great place to look for care sheets and chameleons for sale.

If you do end up looking at bearded dragons/leopard geckos more, I have had both and they are both a lot easier to care for than chameleons and neither has tried to bite me since I've had them.

 

[Courtney]

im not trying to deter you in any way i was simply stating the harsh facts. chams are amazing weather they are sweet and sociable or downright mean. do research and dont jump into it. find some local people who have various species and figure out what apecies your most interested in. then reasearch till you could past a test for them if required. then you will be ready

 

[jojothefirst]

i think that this sums it up well.

IMO some chams are friendly by nature and some arnt with no way of knowing what ur gona get.
I do believe some can be trained but if u want to be handling it alot then i wouldnt suggest a cham.

I don't think it matters whether you get a male or female chameleon or which species you get..it really depends on the chameleon. Some chameleons, no matter how much you work with them by hand feeding etc. they will never get used to handling. Other chameleons, however, seem to like coming out of the cage(when the owner enters, they come to the front of the cage and climb out on their hand).

My main point is that it can be done to have a chameleon that tolerates handling and seems to enjoy it, but you never know until you get a chameleon and learn its boundaries. You have to respect its boundaries, so if you end up getting a chameleon that doesn't like being handled, you have to respect that. If you get a chameleon that does tolerate hands, great! But that still doesn't mean you should handle it all of the time. I would say an hour out of the cage at one time is too much unless its outside or in a free range.

 

[jojothefirst]

i think that this sums it up well.

IMO some chams are friendly by nature and some arnt with no way of knowing what ur gona get.
I do believe some can be trained but if u want to be handling it alot then i wouldnt suggest a cham.

I don't think it matters whether you get a male or female chameleon or which species you get..it really depends on the chameleon. Some chameleons, no matter how much you work with them by hand feeding etc. they will never get used to handling. Other chameleons, however, seem to like coming out of the cage(when the owner enters, they come to the front of the cage and climb out on their hand).

My main point is that it can be done to have a chameleon that tolerates handling and seems to enjoy it, but you never know until you get a chameleon and learn its boundaries. You have to respect its boundaries, so if you end up getting a chameleon that doesn't like being handled, you have to respect that. If you get a chameleon that does tolerate hands, great! But that still doesn't mean you should handle it all of the time. I would say an hour out of the cage at one time is too much unless its outside or in a free range.

 

[Metric]

I have Both a bearded dragon and a chameleon so ill put my 2 cents in.


My chameleon will not tolerate handling and I only handle him when i need to inspect him, to clean the cage, and to go out to get sun. Other then that, he is an observational animal, not an interactive one. It is only on a rare occasion that you will find a chameleon that will tolerate handling, and even RARER that a chameleon would enjoy handling.

So ask yourself, what is the most probable situation you will be in if you purchase a chameleon, not the "maybe ill be one of the lucky ones." Most likley you will have a solitary, non-tolerant chameleon. Will that be ok with you? will you still enjoy and provide care to that animal if that is the case, or will you get bored and neglect it.

NOW

My bearded dragon i hand feed OUT of his cage, I did this since he was young and now he can roam around my room, be handled by anyone, is absolutely always calm.

Q. Is he fast?
A. Only if startled and handled incorrectly, or chasing down a cricket. Most of the time my beardie is super lazy and a "lap lizard"

Q. Does he get big?
A. Only a bit bigger than most chameleons, the enclosure will be larg, but no larger then a chameleons enclosure only lengthwise.

Q. Are they aggressive?
A. I have never met an aggressive bearded dragon, they are a docile calm creature by nature, but lack of handling and socialization, especially in the form of food, can cause an aggressive adult beardie.


In my honest opionion, it sounds like what you want fits the description of a bearded dragon. If this is your FIRST reptile the YOU are taking sole responsibility for, a chameleon is not the best choice and not forgiving of husbandry mistakes, where as a beardie dragon is a perfect beginner reptile.

Get a bearded dragon : P

 

[Elizadolots]

OK, turn the argument around. If you are set on a chameleon you'll need to be ready to take what you get and enjoy your particular cham's personality. Not all of them are nasty or stressy. We are just trying to prepare you for what COULD happen. There are things you can do to increase a cham's tolerant:

...

Carlton, I loved this post. I didn't quote all of it because I hate to scroll through stuff I know, but I really appreciate the fact you stepped outside the "ideal" and addressed the poster's desires and gave realistic advice.

In any "pet" situation, there are varied degrees of devotion (obsession?). Actually, that's true of child rearing too....whatever you do, someone else does it better and will tell you about it. Whatever your reasons for starting the relationship, others will find fault with it and tell you why you are wrong. Regardless of how attentive you are, someone is more attentive and will make you feel bad for it.

This guy wants a cham he can handle, the reality is, he might or might not be be able to make that happen.

Me? I'm betting that regardless of whether the chameleon he gets develops into a "friendly" chameleon, he'll learn to love them and appreciate them for what they are. They are lovely, enchanting animals and I find it difficult to believe that anyone even remotely interested in them would fail to be enchanted by them just being themselves.

 

[sandrachameleon]

The sites Im seeing are scaring me by repeating the same ting over and over again "chameleons DO NOT like being handled." I dont like that.

Then you dont like chameleons. Have you considered a bearded dragon? they are far more tolerant of handling.

So heres my questions simplified...
•If I constaly handle my cham will it be less stressed when i handle it at an older age?
•Better for handling, male or female?
•Best species or handling? (price is not an issue)

No.
Neither.
None.

Just like an hour every other day or maybe a little more, is that a lot?

that is too much.

Reading further, I see that you are considering a beardie instead. I think you'll find that's a great way to go. There are some really good breeders out there, with different colours. And they do look every bit as awesome as chameleons, imho

 

[pantherlover]

hey, i dont have a ton of experience with chams but im on my fourth.the third is a baby who has been the biggest handful of all. just beause it was my first baby & they really are scared as hell of everything. so, for instance, when im cleaning the cage i dont handle her at all. i wait for her to go on the plant or branch & just take the whole thing out & let her chill on part of her normal surroundings. thats seems to help her stay calm. i really like the idea someone suggested of coaxing it ot onto your arm with a treat if its willing to eat outta your hands. if, like you said before you just wanna let him chill on a plant fo a while here & there that should be fine. i enjoy handling my male from time to time or let him free range on a big ficus ive got. when i do handle him its only for a couple minutes at a time & only when he comes to me. even when he does come to me, ill see him get nervous within minutes & ill WANT to put him back in his cage. same way, a female ive had wanted a little less to do with me so i had to fight the urge & give her even more space. like someone already said, if u want a chameleon, you have to be willing to leave it alone if thats what it perfers.to try & answer your second question my only experience is with panther chams but with the male & female ive had, the male seemed a lot less intimidated by me putting my hand in his cage to mist or feed even on days i could tell he didnt feel like comming out. third question... I love panthers. they have gorgeous colours. i must stress like everyone else, if you arent sure you cant not leave it alone dont get one because you wont know wht youve got untill youve got it. your biggest concern seemed to be handling & by large, they dont like it at all. i had a very reptile experienced friend who loved his cham to death but could not leave it alone so he had to find a new better suited owner for it. you just really have to be sure your youll be able to comply to its needs. remember, if you do get one, it probably doesnt like you. it may like your hand when your holding a cricket, thats bout it. also dont get one thinking itsok to just move it along to another owner if you dont like its temperment. its a commitment youve gotta make to yourself before you purchase. if you do get one, get the setup first because youve gotta get your temp & humidity right before you get it. I suggest this because otherwise youll be constantly adjusting stuff while its in ther and stressing the shit out of it. its crucial to really limit your contact to necessity when you first introduce it to its new surrundings.

on an further note, i invite senior members to correct me where they may think im wrong. im just giving my view because i would love to handle my chams 24/7 but dont because i care way more about theyre health than handling.i got my first one hoping it would be a little more interactive than it it is but it isnt & i loved it the same. if you get one & love it, you might be able to do the same

 

[JaxyGirl]

I have both a male Jackson's Chameleon and a couple of bearded dragons. My beardies will sit on the couch with me and hang out.

I think I might be an exception with my cham though. My cham doesn't have a cage..he free ranges all day. He does have a special free range set up with his heat lamp, UVB, dripper etc that he goes to and from at will. He pretty much roams around the living room and really nothing bothers him not even the cats. Regarding handling..I probably handle him more then most, but he doesn't seem to mind it, but at the same time doesn't love it. He definitely won't hang out on me like my beardie does and is in constant motion unless he's sleeping.

But, If my cham did seem stressed and was not happy and didn't like to be handled I definitely wouldn't. I guess I was just lucky and got one with a good temperament. He never tries to bite or hisses or anything. Then again it just might be the nature of the Jackson's cham compered to a veiled or panther. I don't know?

I do want to say that even though my cham now free ranges and pretty much owns the living room, he didn't start out that way. He started in a cage when he was a baby, he was more skiddish then and I didn't handle him as much as I do now. Maybe once a week at the most.

As he grew he seemed to prefer to be out of the cage more. So I hung a pathos plant above the cage so he could reach the plant from his cage climb up when he wanted and back into his cage when he wanted. And I always locked him in his cage at night. It got to the point where he wanted to be out more then in and he would litterally freak and stress out if I locked him in the cage. So I just started leaving him out and it progressed from there. And it has worked out for me and "my" cham..every situation is different.

But, I do want to make a strong point of saying it took about 6-9mos to get to where he is now. It just worked out that way and he pretty much did it on his own. I never forced him to do any of the above. If he stressed out from being out of his cage or handled then I definitely wouldn't have. I was just lucky like that way. But, as far as being cuddly..he never will be..not like a bearded dragon and you have to respect that in a cham. Good luck with your choice!
Natalie

 

[bugboy]

Good experience at the store they were very helpful. D&J Reptiles in Massapeqa, Long Island.

haha ive been there. guy sold my buddy an adult "captive bred" green tree python that turned out having mites as well as 3 different types of internal parasites, one of which our vet couldnt even identify. the thing is obviously wild caught, so he lied to us. ive also seen their chameleon enclosures; lots of poo with lots of orange urates and a big water dish at the bottom. you cant always trust the pet stores to tell you the right information; i work at one, so i know how this all goes down (luckily both i and my co-workers tell you the RIGHT information). i get numerous people coming into my store saying "DO YOU GUYS HAVE CHAMELEONS??? CAN YOU GET THEM??" and my response is usually something to the effect of "no." or "only if you guarantee to pick it up the same day cause i cant keep it in the store" and then ill usually give them the "make sure you do your research" speech.

but getting back to the original posters original point. i noticed your leaning more to the side of a bearded dragon now (or at least thats as far as i got) which is a much more reasonable choice if your looking for a sociable animal. most reptiles tolerate handling, nobody knows if they truly enjoy it, but when it comes to bearded dragon versus a cham you can tell right away if it bothers them. the cham is waaaaaaaaay more aggressive and will defend itself, and this is all very stressful and dangerous to the cham. the bearded will puff out his beard which turns a blackish color, but most beardies have a pretty friendly disposition as well as the fact that holding them wont eventually kill them. dont let this info keep you from getting a chameleon, theyre awesome animals and some are pretty docile and can be held, but even the docile ones cant be held all the time.

 

[Carlton]

I have this theory that cham keepers usually have other animals around because they need critters who show some appreciation, actually enjoy their human, and respond to attention the human wants to give them. When they get tired of their aloof, fussy, emotional cham divas (I love them too!) it helps to have a nice dog, cat, lap snake, beardie or whatever.

My beardie was an absolute hoot. He was a German giant morph brought in to a herp shop in Denver by his previous owners. He had grown up in a glass fronted bookcase that was much too small. He would scrabble after anyone walking by the bookcase. I worked part time at the shop and would give him rides on my shoulder whenever possible and finally adopted him. I built a ramp from the door of his terrarium to the back of the couch so he could come "visit" me whenever he wanted. He would spend a lot of time draped on my lap or shoulder, run after me while I was doing house chores, run right up to visitors and try to climb up their pantlegs. He seemed to enjoy everyone, even a TV film crew who came to film some of the chams. Maybe I was so charmed because the only herps I had kept up until then were chams. I just couldn't get enough of this funny curious outgoing little spiny dog.

 

[Matt1851]

ya i have my bunnies to cuddle and hold when i cant hold my cham

 

[Dustin2524]

great posts carlton and I couldn't agree with ya more. Cham owners seem to have a different pet that can receive attention when the cham doesnt want any. Thanks to you guys Im getting a bearded dragon within a couple days
I wouldve loved my cham either way but deep down I do want a social animal.

 

[draetish]

great posts carlton and I couldn't agree with ya more. Cham owners seem to have a different pet that can receive attention when the cham doesnt want any. Thanks to you guys Im getting a bearded dragon within a couple days
I wouldve loved my cham either way but deep down I do want a social animal.

You can stay on the forum ya know? Post under 'other reptiles and pets' and keep in touch.

 

[critterguy]

Sounds like a Blue tongue skink would work well.